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quarentine

Owen has about a dozen dots on his face. This time not from the __________ he grabbed off the counter and rubbed all over it ( fill in the blank w/ any of the following: lipstick, gluestick, marker, pen, chapstick). Earlier in the week, I picked him up and checked his cubby for old sippy cups, half colored artwork and the infamous daily report. Instead was a very official looking note stating someone at the school had been diagnosed with chickenpox. I ignored it. Owen has had the vaccine and I think even the booster. The school is big -- what is the liklihood that O has even been in contact w/ this germy kid. The sheet sat in his cubby for a few days until I finally transferred it to the floorboard of my car. Then Friday, I went to pick up O and noticed a few pink dots on his face. Suddenly that worksheet flashed in my head. I questioned the teacher ( his usual one had already gone home). She said she had already asked someone and they didn't think it was chicken pox. I told her they hadn't been there in the morning and suddenly we looked harder. We found a few more on his arms and legs. More seemed to keep appearing as I searched. I asked a few more questions ( maybe ones I should have asked on Tuesday) and learned that the culprit was actually in Owen's class and she too had had the vaccine. Then we found the director to ask what they looked like when the first showed up and no surprise...they looked just like Owen's. We called the dr on the way home -- she just said to give him tylonal and keep him away from other kids. Owen didn't seem phased. No fever. Big appitite and tons of energy. By the time Shaun got home I started questioning if it was even chicken pox. We took him first thing in the morning to Care Now ( the dots seemed lighter) and paid 35$ for her to confirm that it was indeed chicken pox. Apparently the vaccine is only about 82% effective -- and then it makes for a milder case. A mild case sadly does not mean shorter case. He is supposed to be quarentined for 7 days. So the pumpkin patch and boo bash were out. Me and Shaun divyed up who would stay home what days ( doesn't help that he will be in Colorodo most of the week!).
Day 5 of the pox and Owen is climbing the walls. Literally. I have pulled all my tricks. Bought a few new toys. Made a fort in the living room. Watched more than our share of cartoons. It is icky outstide, which makes playing out side not such a good option. When we do make it outside he can hear the neighbors playing and gets so sad that he can't join them. I am feeling a bit couped up myself but no that it is temporary and am enjoying my couch time. He is destroying each room faster than I can pick it up. He managed to knock over a dresser 3x the size of him, rewire the tv and learned a cool new trick. Move a kitchen chair to any place in the house with something he can't reach and tada...Owen with cookies, Owen with a sharpie.
I have an official letter from the doctor saying he can go back to school on Thursday.... and I can't wait. Don't get me wrong I love him. I loved my summer of playing with him. But the last 5 days have been miserable. He needs out. He needs other kids. And mommy needs a break. It is a screaming reminder that we were not meant to live in isolation. We can't thrive without community. Our body craves it.......even for a slightly introverted 2 year old. We get into trouble without. Owen needs people his size to watch and play with and race. Later he will need the same relationships to experience life with. It is no fun alone couped up behind walls. The walls of your house or even just the ones of your heart.

Comments

onevoice said…
Hang in there...this too shall pass. :)
October 17, 2007 at 7:13 PM
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